Stamford RFC’s new coaches are old hands

Stamford RFC have turned to two old faces to try to help them avoid relegation.

Last week the club announced former first team captain Matt Albinson and former coach Dave Laventure have been appointed in a new coaching partnership.

The success of the First XV is phenomenally important. A winning side creates a buzz that reverberates throughout the club, although doing well is not necessarily measured by results, it’s also about retaining players that have come through the minis and junior sections, who want to carry on playing senior rugby, right through until they qualify to play for the Vets.”

New Stamford RFC coach Dave Laventure

Laventure and Albinson will implement new structure to the training regime and assume joint responsibility for the day-to-day match preparation of the First and Second XV squads.

Stamford First XV need to win at least two from the last four games this season to avoid relegation. The short term success of the new coaches will no doubt be bolstered if Stamford manage to maintain the league status that they have worked so hard to achieve.

Laventure had a spell playing for Harlequins and London Irish before injury cut short his career. With a degree in physiology, he had planned to go into medicine but instead turned to teaching, which provided a platform to get into coaching rugby. He went on to achieve RFU levels 1 – 4 and began to coach County and Midlands rugby before working with England Schools. Dave now heads up the rugby department at Stamford School; he’s also currently also involved with the set up at Leicester Tigers.

Albinson has moved from Peterborough RUFC where he was the 1st XV Player Coach and is also associated with the Tigers as a ‘Developing Player Program’ coach.

Albinson hopes to inspire a level of self-belief, raising the commitment level of the seniors and adding value from his own past experience at Stamford.

Laventure said:“Our number one aim is to put the fun back into rugby, making sure they enjoy it and want to play for each other while giving them the freedom to express themselves.

“The success of the First XV is phenomenally important. A winning side creates a buzz that reverberates throughout the club, although doing well is not necessarily measured by results, it’s also about retaining players that have come through the minis and junior sections, who want to carry on playing senior rugby, right through until they qualify to play for the Vets.”

Laventure said he expects: “Banter and hard work. If they enjoy themselves they’ll work hard and if they work hard, they’ll enjoy it.”

The new team of coaches also anticipate 100 per cent commitment from the players and are keen to ensure that senior members become exemplary clubmen.

Matt adds: “They need to understand our club ethos and actively seek to give a little back wherever possible, whether that’s through social events or helping to coach our kids. We’re looking to build on a flourishing mini and junior section, with a view to creating strength in depth at Colts level, that feeds into a sustainable senior squad.”

Publicity officer Pip Warters: “We are all absolutely thrilled to have this kind of calibre coaching at Stamford RUFC.

“These are exciting times for the club, there’s some ground breaking new ideas on the table and we have a lot to shout about in the coming weeks and months.”